This invention relates to a selective compression and distraction instrument which is useful in manipulating bones in a human, particularly in manipulating the spine of a person, such as in surgical procedures. Such manipulation may occur through direct contact of the bone with the instrument, or by devices attached to the bone, such as implants.
The prior art is already aware of instruments for compressing and distracting bones or the like, and that prior art is cited herein. Those instruments include a scissors-type arrangement which the user can squeeze to apply the desired force to the bones. One end of each of those instruments has a handle and the opposite end has a jaw for contacting the bones. In one prior art instance, one instrument is useful for both the compression and the distraction force application, and that is shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,342, entitled Compression and Distraction Instrument.
The present invention provides another instrument arrangement for applying both compression and distraction forces. My aforesaid patent and the present invention both provide for several improvements over the known prior art, and the present invention provides an arrangement wherein surgeons and like users have another variation for the procedure of compressing and distracting bones or other work-pieces. The advantages of my aforesaid patented instrument are also inherent in the present invention.
The instrument of the present invention is in the form of a multi-piece kit which includes two handle sections and one jaw section which is optionally and alternately attached to a selective one of the two handle sections. One handle section is used for compression and the other handle section is used for distraction, so each completed instrument assembly serves its specific purpose and is simplified in configuration.
The selective assembly of either of the two handle sections to a jaw section, as mentioned herein, is quickly and easily accomplished and can be immediately accomplished by the user in the process of preparing the instrument. The attachment of the selected one of the two handle sections results in a sturdy and secure instrument for the required precision of surgery or the like.
Also, the desired action of parallel movement of the bone-engaging jaws is attained by this invention. That is, the two jaws which move relative to each other do so in an orientation wherein the two jaws are and remain in an orientation parallel to each other.
In addition to the one jaw section serving the two handle sections, there are two removably attached jaw tips or fingers which quickly and firmly can be attached to the jaw section itself. Further, those two jaw tips or fingers are releasably attachable in the jaw section and are interchangeable so they can be selectively presented to the work-piece in a plurality of relationships. That is, they can be selectively angularly positioned, variously spaced apart, or like positioning relative to each other and to the handle section itself, all for the user""s selected purpose.
The jaws are secured to the jaw section in a connection which is not inadvertently releaseable but instead responds only to an intentional action of releasing. That enhances the appeal of the feature of providing these interchangeable jaws which suit the particularly function being performed.
A method of selectively providing either a compressor or distractor instrument is a part of this invention.